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‘Life comes at you fast’, so they say, and now that’s more true than ever. With the option to watch everything from film and TV and listen to podcasts at 1.5 speed and in half the time, it was pretty much guaranteed that music would follow suit. But what’s behind the trend for sped up songs and fast music?
The Popularity of Sped-up Songs: A Modern Music Trend?
As with many trends, the rise of sped-up music can be attributed to social media: TikTok in particular. But do a slightly deeper dive, and you’ll find pitch-shifted, sped-up audio as far back as the 1950s. A novelty track called ‘Witch Doctor’ used vocals which were manually recorded at half speed and then sped up the tape so the voice of the ‘witch’ sang at a higher pitch.
‘Witch Doctor’s originator, Ross Bagdasarian Sr., recorded under the name of David Seville, who became the fictional character who was the adoptive father/producer of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Yes, our tiny, squeaky pals were there first, in the early 60s.
Bagdasarian’s son explains in the video above that a DJ in Philadelphia on a graveyard shift in 1980 played Blondie’s ‘Call Me’ sped up to give it that Chipmunk sound. Sadly, instead of kick-starting a whole new way of Blondie making money, he announced it as a new Alvin record, which led to a record label commissioning Chipmunk Punk.
What Are the Other Origins of Sped-up Music?
Leaving Alvin and chums behind, let’s take a look at ‘nightcore’, a micro-genre that emerged in the early 2000s in Norway. Nightcore takes a core song and speeds it up by 30%, to around 160-190bpm – for vinyl fans, it’s essentially the same effect as playing a 331/3 RPM vinyl at 45 RPM.
The genre is named after a Norwegian duo, Nightcore, who released pitch-shifted versions of trance and Eurodance tracks. They were influenced by German group Scooter’s pitch-shifted vocals in ‘Nessaja’ and ‘Ramp! (The Logical Song)’ – the pair later told SuperSuper! Magazine that, ‘Nightcore has become a style of music, a way to make the music happier – ‘happy hardcore’ as they say.’
From the 2010s, nightcore crossed over into pop and hip hop, K-pop and electro house, but it’s undoubtedly TikTok’s massive popularity in the 2020s that’s led to the global appeal of fast bpm music.
Sped up TikTok Audios: Changing the Pace of Social Media Entertainment
So, what is the big appeal of sped-up tunes? Producer, performer and comedian Oliver Tree, whose nightcore track ‘Miss You’ was a hit, told the NME that, ‘The current state of living in a digital society, with the advent of social media and online dating, is that we’re all quickly swiping to see what’s better. This leaves us moving at an incredibly fast pace. Music’s a mirror of humanity, so no one should be surprised that sped-up music has become popular, when you look at the speed in which we’re living.’
Fans and creators remixing songs is part of TikTok’s appeal – Clive Rozario, TikTok’s Global Music Programme Manager, highlighted the fact that people don’t just come to it to consume, but also to create: ‘Fans are empowered to become part of the music-making process, which often manifests in creators experimenting with their own sped-up or slowed-down versions.’
Fan-First Fresh Takes
When you speed up a track, you can transform it into a dance hit – and create an entirely fresh take on songs from any number of genres. There have always been remixes created and promoted by music labels, but the difference now is that social media’s making these new versions a fan-first activity, which the labels then jump on, officially releasing the sped-up versions. The result? Another chart boost for an already successful track – a sped-up remix of RAYE’s ‘Escapism’ was credited with helping her to top the UK Singles Chart.
The Psychology Behind the Appeal of Fast Music
Speeding up or slowing down tracks might have originated on YouTube as a method of creators trying to get their content past the platform’s copyright censors, but creators often enjoy sped-up TikTok audios because they’re just more energetic and interesting to watch. Plus, TikTok is notorious for tapping into people’s short attention spans – you have to grab them, and stop them from scrolling past your content.
Sped-up remixes pack more emotion and lyrics into a shorter timespan: ideal for TikTokkers’ speedy swipe rates and the platform’s short videos. Look for the hashtag #spedup on TikTok and you’ll find videos that have racked up over 16 billion views. Related hashtags like #nightcore and #spedupsounds also have billions of collective views – it’s clearly a genre that’s not going anywhere fast (ironically).
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Many acts, artists and label execs are getting proactive and automatically creating nightcore versions of their songs to boost streams (RAYE’s remix has more than 51 million Spotify streams), but TikTok songs are also resurfacing old tracks. Miguel’s 2011 hit ‘Sure Thing’ was just one instance of a massive TikTok smash in 2023 that was returned to Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs’ Top 20. Lady Gaga’s 2011 track ‘Bloody Mary’ didn’t even chart on its original release, but it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to millions of people, including Gaga herself, recreating the viral Wednesday dance to the song.
You can instantly see the crossover and influence on streamers such as Netflix from social media with this track – it wasn’t on the original Wednesday soundtrack, but a teaser trailer for the second season features the sped-up ‘Bloody Mary’ remix, alongside Wednesday’s voiceover dryly shouting out the fact she’s been ‘mimicked millions of times across the internet’.
All of the biggest songs in TikTok in 2023 were sped-up remixes; according to its year-end report, ‘Collide (more sped up)’ by Justine Skye was top amongst its US users.
Used in more than 4.2 million TikTok videos, this was another track that was nearly a decade old. K-poppers Fifty Fifty and ‘Favorite Song – Sped Up’ by Toosii were all more widely used than more obvious hits such as Taylor Swift’s ‘Cruel Summer’.
You can instantly see the popularity of sped-up TikTok audios when you look at the stats for SZA’s song, ‘Kill Bill’. The original has been used for more than 100,000 TikTok videos – whilst the unofficial sped-up remix vastly eclipsed it, being used in more than 1.1 million TikToks.
What’s the Downside of Sped-up TikTok Songs?
In short, if you’re an artist or label and you’re not releasing your own sped-up versions, then fan-made remixes are costing you money. Forbes reports that digital rights company Pex found hundreds of millions of modified audio tracks were distributed on social media between July 2021 and March 2023, and in November, it identified at least a million tracks on streamers such as Spotify and Apple Music were unlicensed manipulated audio tracks. Pex’s senior VP pointed out that these tracks, ‘generate millions in cumulative revenue for the uploaders instead of the correct rightsholders.’
Want to dive into fast bpm music? Spotify curates its own sped-up songs playlist:
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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When it comes to being a film buff, you can spot someone who knows their Hans Zimmer from their Karyn Rachtman if they can tell you what is the difference between a film score and a soundtrack without having to look it up. Many film fans use the two terms interchangeably, but they’re not the same – so we’re here to talk you through understanding film scores and soundtracks – and give you examples of the best of both.
Featured Scores and Soundtracks:
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Under the Skin
Joker
The Social Network
The Bodyguard
Trainspotting
Pulp Fiction
Guardians of the Galaxy
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
What Is a Film Score?
Film music can change the entire tone and feel of a film - a film score is original music that’s been composed and recorded for a movie, which is usually instrumental. Often – though not exclusively – by one composer, the music is designed to fit the story exactly. This can bring in elements such as action and emotion, or specific themes for some of the characters. The music pieces are written to a strict timecode, matching what’s on screen.
Film scores were traditionally performed by full orchestras, and many still are. However, composers aren’t shy of bringing in new techniques and instrumentation, including power-packed hybrid orchestral scores – think the Marvel Universe and other effects-driven blockbusters best seen on an IMAX screen.
To get an idea about the versatility of an orchestra performing a film score, take a listen to this one performing 30 film and TV themes, from Avatar to Game of Thrones, How to Train Your Dragon to Howl’s Moving Castle, which incorporates work from big names including John Williams, Alan Silvestri, Hans Zimmer and Ludwig Goransson.
Or watch a true master at work, as John Williams conducts a medley as a salute to 50 years of legendary film composers and their themes, featuring the Warner Bros Fanfare segueing neatly into Williams’s own march from Star Wars, work by Bernard Herrman (Citizen Kane and Psycho), James Horner (Titanic), John Barry (Out of Africa), Elmer Bernstein (The Magnificent Seven) and Ennio Morricone (Cinema Paradiso). Even if you can’t immediately name the movie, you’ll know the melody.
How Do You Compose a Film Score?
Film scores are usually composed under the guidance of, or in collaboration with the film’s director or producer. The composer will be given a brief, and often the script, rushes, or a rough edit of the whole film.
Once the precise timing, narrative content and emotional tone of each music cue has been decided, the composer can spend anywhere from two weeks to three months writing the score. A rule of thumb is that the score will run for roughly half the length of the film – so if the movie is two hours long, the composer will create an hour’s worth of music.
Industry giant Alan Silvestri, who has scored everything from Back to the Future to Forrest Gump and The Avengers, breaks down his process in this video. He explains how he feels that being a composer is very much like being an actor; how technology has changed the world of scoring by using track archives, DAW (digital audio workstations) and instrument ensembles, and what it was like to record the soundtrack for Avengers: Endgame with a 90-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studios.
The best film scores’ music really have the power to take a viewer further into the movie’s world. Think of the almost entirely electronic score by Vangelis, conjuring up a dark, dystopian future for Bladerunner, or Dune Part One’s otherworldly sandscapes, which composer Hans Zimmer partially brought to life using ‘invented’ instruments and an extraordinary vocalist:
This explainer demonstrates how Pixar uses music, particularly themes, to create its characters and emotional impact:
Five Film Scores You Need to Know
1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Ludwig Goransson
Black Panther featured an Oscar-nominated score by Ludwig Goransson, and the sequel, Wakanda Forever, was also composed by Goransson, who’s been working with director Ryan Coogler for 15 years.
Goransson travelled to Mexico, Nigeria and London, creating an estimated 2,500 hours of recording. The challenge was to find a new sound for the African kingdom of Wakanda, and its grief-stricken people, plus, he had to imagine the sound of Talokan, the undersea kingdom.
As its origins lay in Mexico’s ancient Mayan civilisation, Goransson consulted musical archaeologists and collaborated with Mexican musicians, using ancient instruments from clay flutes to the ‘flute of truth’ – a whistle-like woodwind instrument.
Senegalese singer Baaba Mal and drum player Massamba Diop, together with a host of African musicians, singers and rappers appear on the soundtrack. It’s a true collaboration between the director, Goransson and the musicians: ‘both in Mexico and Nigeria we were creating music based on the script, the story, and conversations with Ryan. When we got back to LA, it was time to put it up to the picture and see what works. That was the challenge – and the fun part.’
Goransson used instruments including the kora, a West African stringed instrument akin to a harp, plus the sabar and djembe – traditional African drums. Plus, as one of the main characters, Shuri, is so associated with technology, there’s a synth-based theme for her character to mix things up. Goransson used 40-voice choirs in London and LA, an LA choir specialising in Mesoamerican music and even a community of Mayan rappers in the Yucatan under the end titles.
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once – Son Lux
Son Lux’s 49-song score for Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s absurdist film Everything Everywhere All At Once hits the nail on the head.
The American experimental band managed to incorporate all multiverse story’s diverse themes and visuals into their music in a way that avoids alienation. They used unusual instruments such as paigu, gongs, foil violin and Mayan flutes made of cedar to create idiosyncratic sounds. They also took inspiration from The Matrix’s score to help them find the ‘science fiction palette for the film’.
Praising its ‘audacious range’ Pitchfork loved the result: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once snaps between zaniness, hilarity, darkness, and hope, so too does its soundtrack. Despite running an hour and 54 minutes, the score doesn’t lose coherence... Son Lux’s broader artistic ethos are rooted in the imperative of creation, so sprawling in its possibilities as to span an entire multiverse.’
The score garnered Son Lux a nomination for the Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score) at the Oscars.
3. Under the Skin – Mica Levi
Scarlett Johansson as an eerie alien in Glasgow might not have proved itself to be the most commercial horror hit, but critic Mark Kermode praised the brilliance of Levi’s score: ‘Underpinning it all is Mica Levi, whose awe-inspiring work inhabits that strange musique concrète netherworld between score and sound effects.
Working closely with sound designer Johnnie Burn, Levi creates percussive, scraping, buzzing accompaniments that nod toward the avant-garde strains of Penderecki and Ligeti (and arguably the film scores of Jonny Greenwood), while groaning fragments of what sound like an alien language recall the industrial soundscapes of Alan Splet. The overall effect is dazzling.’
Mica Levi told the Guardian that her score had parts which, ‘are intended to be quite difficult. If your lifeforce is being distilled by an alien, it’s not necessarily going to sound very nice. It’s supposed to be physical, alarming, hot.’
In terms of how she used the instruments, Levi revealed that, ‘we were looking at the natural sound of an instrument to try and find something identifiably human in it, then slowing things down or changing the pitch of it to make it feel uncomfortable. There was a lot of talk of perverting material. It does sound creepy, but we were going for sexy.’
Plus, she looked to everything from Iannis Xenakis and John Cage to ‘strip club music and euphoric dance’ for further inspiration.
4. Joker – Hildur Guðnadóttir
A classically trained cellist, Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir has recorded both as a solo artist and with several bands, in addition to working on the scores for Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival and Sicario, both of which were composed by her late countryman Johann Johannsson.
She won an Emmy for her work on the HBO/Sky miniseries Chernobyl, and took home the Oscar for Best Original Score for director Todd Phillips’ Joker in 2019. Phillips was curious to hear what the composer felt after reading the script, and loved the music she wrote for it so much that he played it during filming. Joker star Joaquin Phoenix said that the ‘Bathroom Scene’ track helped his transformation from wannabe stand-up Arthur Fleck into the eponymous villain.
Although the score was recorded by a 100-piece orchestra, the main themes are based around Guðnadóttir’s halldorophone, which she describes as ‘a kind of Jimi Hendrix electric cello’. Much of the film’s unique sound is down to this instrument: ‘It has eight strings and every string has a microphone. There’s a speaker on the back so it creates this feedback loop, and creates all these strange sounds and does that electro-acoustically. For this score, I played it through a four-stack of amplifiers, so all the strange sounds you hear, like when he goes into the fridge, are all played on this, and all played live. They’re not made in a computer.’
As Todd Phillips explained to the LA Times, ‘When you’re making a film about one person, every other element really becomes a character in the film. The production design, the wardrobe — the way we shot the film, the city of Gotham. To me, the music is one of the biggest characters of the film.’
5. The Social Network – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
David Fincher’s 2010 biopic of the founding of Facebook stars Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
At the time, Trent Reznor was best known as the frontman of Nine Inch Nails; The Social Network became his first movie score with longtime collaborator Atticus Ross and it went on to pick up one of the movie’s three Oscars, as well as Best Original Score at the Golden Globes.
The pair sent about 16 tracks to Fincher, intending them to be a kind of sonic mood board. However, Fincher’s sound editor, Ren Klyce, took the cues and set them to the movie: the first draft became the final score. Reznor and Ross’s score gives the biopic its menacing undertones as the Winklevoss twins (played by Armie Hammer) pursue Zuckerberg across campus and then through the courts. In other hands, the soundtrack could have been a John Hughes-esque campus dramedy.
As Pitchfork.com suggests, even the lighter tracks, such as ‘Intriguing Possibilities’, have dark bass notes underneath them, suggesting potential dissatisfaction and discord. The composing duo’s skills are evident throughout: ‘Try to imagine the famous boat race without Reznor and Ross’s infernal retooling of ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ beneath it. The creeping dread that pervades the movie, the intimations of existential rot, only exist in The Social Network because Reznor and Ross put them there.’
What Is a Soundtrack?
CuttingRoomMusic.com explains that, ‘We generally associate the term “soundtrack” with the collection of music that is released along with a feature film. The thing is, a commercially released soundtrack album can be anything the studio wants it to be: it could be only the original score, only the licensed songs, or a combination of score and excerpts of dialogue or remixes and tribute versions of the music in the film.’
In general, though, a movie soundtrack is made up of songs by bands or individual artists. These might have been created especially for the film – think of Rihanna and Tems’s Oscar-nominated ‘Lift Me Up’ for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, or Lady Gaga’s ‘Hold My Hand’ for Top Gun: Maverick – or be pre-existing tracks brought together and licensed by a music supervisor.
Movie soundtracks, much like scores, don’t just help us recall the plot or character, they allow us to understand its meaning better. Music supervisors and directors can use tracks to personify characters – think of Peter Quill’s mixtapes in the Guardians of the Galaxy films – or to create iconic moments like ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’ in the Reservoir Dogs torture scene.
80s classic Top Gun has one of the decade’s most memorable (and bestselling) soundtracks. From Berlin’s Oscar-winning love theme, ‘Take My Breath Away’ to Kenny Loggins’ ‘Danger Zone’ and Harold Faltermeyer’s ‘Top Gun Anthem’, it brought emotion and action together, melding rock with power ballads, plus The Righteous Brothers’ classic, ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, which soundtracked one of the film’s most enduring scenes. In the long-awaited sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, Miles Teller performs ‘Great Balls of Fire’ at a piano in a bar. Similar setting, another classic, retro track – it reminds fans of the first film, whilst creating a new iconic moment for the 2020s.
The best movie soundtracks can become huge stand-alone sellers – the songs promote the movie, the movie takes the songs to a whole new level. Music and movies have gone hand in glove since the Silent era, when there’d be a pianist or organist in the cinema accompanying the moving pictures on the screen, but commercial soundtracks have given music a global platform like no other.
Five Movie Soundtracks You Need to Hear
1. The Bodyguard
The soundtrack for The Bodyguard still reigns supreme as the bestselling movie soundtrack of all time, with sales of over 45 million copies worldwide. Released in 1992, the album features songs recorded by Whitney Houston, who starred as superstar singer Rachel Marron, together with the work of artists including Lisa Stansfield, Curtis Stigers and Kenny G.
The album hit No. 1 in 18 countries and gave Houston the distinction of having the most weeks at No. 1 by a female artist on the Billboard 200 – a record she held for 19 years, until being overtaken by Adele’s 21 in 2011.
When it comes to choosing songs for soundtracks, some of the most memorable can come about as happy accidents. Whitney Houston originally planned to record ‘What Becomes of the Broken Hearted’ as the film’s theme song. However, a version was slated to appear in Fried Green Tomatoes. Houston’s co-star, Kevin Costner, came to the rescue, suggesting ‘I Will Always Love You’, which was originally recorded by Dolly Parton, and the perfect marriage of song, scene and emotion – not to mention a global hit - was born.
2. Trainspotting
For an example of a soundtrack that promotes the film and vice versa, you only have to look at the not one, but two soundtrack albums released alongside the film adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel of the same name. Danny Boyle’s 1996 film became one of the decade’s biggest hits, and launched its stars’ careers into the stratosphere.
Although the film’s story is actually set in the late 80s, the tracks chosen for the soundtrack span three eras. The 70s brought in Iggy Pop’s ‘Lust for Life’ (released in 1977) and Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ from 1972, plus Brian Eno’s ‘Deep Blue Day’ and Blondie’s ‘Atomic’. Britpop was represented by Pulp’s ‘Mile End’, Blur’s ‘Sing’, and Elastica’s ‘2:1’. The soundtrack’s third strand introduced 90s techno including Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ and Leftfield’s ‘A Final Hit’. There’s even a dash of classical in there, with Bizet’s ‘Habanera’ from Carmen.
The first Trainspotting soundtrack album is a collection of the songs featured in the film, whilst the second includes both those left out of the first soundtrack, plus extra songs that had inspired the filmmakers during production.
The kaleidoscopic, kinetic soundtrack, shot through with dark tracks such as ‘Perfect Day’ and ‘Nightclubbing’ matched the film’s energy, plot and characters perfectly, and it’s regularly placed in ‘best of’ lists, notably Vanity Fair’s 2007 list of best motion picture soundtracks in history (No. 2) and Rolling Stone, who listed it as the 13th best soundtrack in their 25 Best Soundtracks in 2013.
3. Pulp Fiction
Impeccably stylish, with an all-star cast, endlessly quotable dialogue and non-linear narrative, when you think of Tarantino’s most iconic film, it’s still probably the soundtrack that comes to mind first. The mere mention of Pulp Fiction conjures up the dance scene with John Travolta and Uma Thurman in the Jack Rabbit Slims club, twisting to ‘You Never Can Tell’, a Chuck Berry track from 1964.
The film kicks off with Dick Dale’s ‘Misirlou’, perfectly setting up the rollercoaster ride to come, before segueing from the 60s to the 70s in the opening credits, funking it up with ‘Jungle Boogie’ by Kool & the Gang. Vincent Vega (John Travolta) meets mob boss’s wife Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) accompanied by Dusty Springfield’s ‘Son of a Preacher Man’.
The only original song on the soundtrack comes from Maria McKee (most famous for her No. 1 from Days of Thunder, ‘Show Me Heaven’.) ‘If Love is a Red Dress (Hang Me in Rags)’ is the background for Marcellus (Ving Rhames) catching up with Butch (Bruce Willis) in a pawn shop. Pulp Fiction leaned heavily on Californian surf-rock, creating an eclectic, out of time feel for the soundtrack and the film as a whole. Tarantino said that he chose surf music because, ‘it just seems like rock ‘n’ roll Ennio Morricone music, rock ‘n’ roll spaghetti Western music.’
The ‘Tarantino effect’ of the film soundtrack was borne out by its influence on advertisers, who suddenly started using surf music in commercials to help sell everything from burritos to toothpaste – Virgin Media turned to ‘Misirlou’ only six years ago for their Virgin Fibre ad:
4. Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack is a great example of using a soundtrack both as a plot element and to background a particular character. Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, (Chris Pratt) listens to his own personalized mixtape on a battered old Walkman. Quill’s mother gave this to him just before she died, with the mixtape she’d made for him, and it becomes one of his few mementos of his Earth life, before he was abducted by Yondu.
The Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 is a lovingly brought together collection of pop, rock and soul classics. From the Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back’ to David Bowie’s ‘Moonage Daydream’ and Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, the songs give a sense of Quill and his life on Earth, and the connection to the person he was as a small child, before his life changed about as dramatically as one person’s can, when he was transported to the outer reaches of space.
We’re introduced to Quill as he grooves around a deserted landscape, accompanied by Redbone’s ‘Come and Get Your Love’, which instantly establishes the Guardians’ world, apart from the rest of the MCU. Soft rock? Not what we’re used to from the blockbuster behemoths.
The soundtrack reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Soundtracks chart for 16 weeks, and became the first soundtrack in history consisting entirely of previously released songs to top the chart. Empire loved this and the sequels’ ‘hand-crafted mixtapes of forgotten bangers and impeccable vibes, perfectly curated to soundtrack the exploits of Peter Quill and pals… These mixes have become cultural events in and of themselves.’
Music supervisor Dave Jordan’s work on the film won him the Guild of Music Supervisors’ Award for Best Supervision Film, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack.
5. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
From the styling of the title to its gorgeous, fresh-faced lovers and colour-drenched ‘Verona Beach’ setting, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet was Shakespeare for people who’d never got on with it at school and thought it must be deadly dull – if not incomprehensible.
The film was a rush of blood to the head from start to finish – Shakespeare for the post-MTV generation. But, as Junkee.com says, ‘style can only get you so far – the real mood of Romeo + Juliet lies in its soundtrack.’
Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) is introduced on Verona Beach with a Radiohead B-side, and the band then wrote ‘Exit Music (For a Film)’ to accompany the end credits.
When it comes to best movie songs, we’d like to nominate Des-ree’s heart-melting ‘Kissing You’ which plays in the background as Romeo and Juliet (Claire Danes) fall in love at first sight when they spot each other on either side of a fish tank at the huge Capulet costume party.
Elsewhere, there are post-grunge, post-punk wave bands such as Garbage (‘#1 Crush’), Everclear (‘Local God’) and One Inch Punch (‘Pretty Piece of Flesh’), but it’s probably The Cardigans’ ‘Lovefool’ that’s the biggest earworm. (It’s either that or Kym Mayzelle’s cover of Candi Staton’s disco hit ‘Young Hearts, Run Free’.) Prince was introduced to a new generation via the choral arrangement of ‘When Doves Cry’ sung by Quindon Tarver; the choral elements underpin Luhrmann’s use of religious imagery throughout the film (there are even religious symbols on the guns).
Angsty, angry, loved-up, lovesick, lovelorn: there’s something for every teen, no matter what they’re going through on the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack – it’s a classic for a reason and director Baz Luhrmann then took his eclectic approach to music into the stratosphere with his follow up, 2001’s Moulin Rouge!
If you want to specialise in soundtracks, and create a blockbuster selection like Karyn Rachtman (Pulp Fiction), then be inspired by the work of the best female music supervisors.
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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Chinese New Year is one of the biggest occasions in the calendar, with celebrations traditionally taking place over the course of 16 days. Chinese New Year 2023 falls on Sunday 22nd January and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit. With so many families getting together and giving gifts over the New Year period, it’s obviously a prime time for advertisers. What have been the best Chinese New Year ads?
The Best Chinese New Year Ads
Coca Cola – Chinese New Year Real Magic
RHB Chinese New Year 2022: A Spark for Change
McDonald’s – My Mum is the Greatest Hairdresser
HSBC – The Luckiest Red
Grab CNY – Prepare for HUATEVER
Oreo Red Velvet
Julie’s Biscuits – The Worst Feng Shui Master
Singtel – The Hunt for the Lucky Tiger
Singapore Ministry of Communication and Information
Digi – The Undivided Heart
Knife – Always Be There
Tiger Beer – Year of the Tiger
Coca Cola – CNY Confessions
Panda Express – Traditions Shared
H&M
Shot on iPhone
Skittles – Frustrate the Rainbow
Nike – The Great Chase
Air Asia – The Boy and the Lion
Ribena – Purple Flight
Recent Chinese New Year Ads
Coca-Cola Chinese New Year Real Magic
Coca Cola’s adorable ad features a family of animated tigers gathering round their table for a traditional Chinese New Year feast.
Director Yves Geleyn created a simple yet symbolic story about a father and son, with artistic inspiration drawn from traditional Chinese folklore, illustration and sculpture, and landscape inspired by the majestic Tianzi Montain. The story illustrates how different generations can often find it hard to connect at family gatherings and shows father and son reconnecting as they chase an errant bottle of Coke down the mountain together, bringing the fun back into their relationship.
The soundtrack is gentle and orchestral, but with dramatic moments that propel the expert storytelling.
RHB Chinese New Year 2022: A Spark for Change
This ad is inspired by a true story in which ten children in Teluk Intan, Malaysia, took it upon themselves to clean up their fishing village when it faced a waste management crisis. Their action inspired the adults to be more mindful of waste disposal, proving that one small act can lead to a big positive effect.
RHB bank’s film breaks with traditional Chinese New Year campaigns, which usually focus on family gatherings. The storyline stresses that individuals taking action inspires others, which fits with the brand’s long-running ‘Together we progress’ brand tagline.
McDonald’s Malaysia tells the story of a girl whose mum would create amazing hairstyles for her every Chinese New Year. However, as a teenager, when some boys tease her about her hair, she refuses to let her mum near it again.
As a grown-up career woman, she reminisces; will she let the greatest hairdresser come up with another style for her? Of course she will. It’s a heartwarming message about how family traditions strengthen ties, with an emotional soundtrack that blends traditional instruments with piano touches.
HSBC – The Luckiest Red
The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank joined forces with Wunderman Thompson Canada to uncover the most frequently used shade of red, in order to elevate Asian artists in the US market. HSBC Bank USA partnered with The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco to examine their 18,000-strong collection; an AI-based programme called Adobe Sensei identified ‘the luckiest red’, which has been digitally matched by Pantone.
Red is a colour that’s synonymous with Chinese New Year because of the legend of a beast called Nian in ancient China; the secret weapons to drive it away were items that are red in colour and loud noises such as firecrackers and fireworks. Red is also the colour of luck and good fortune in Asian culture. Asian Americans were encouraged to use ‘the luckiest red’ to create artworks which were then shared by HSBC Bank USA in May of this year, to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The soundtrack is of subtle Chinese percussion and calming piano, to accompany the visuals of some of the huge number of artworks, sculptures and objects in the Museum’s collection.
Grab CNY 2022: Prepare for HUATEVER
Grab CNR’s New Year campaign has the same vibe as Argos’s Christmas campaign – i.e. it’s been ages since we’ve been able to celebrate together with our extended family and friends network, and we need to prep for a full-on invasion.
A classic family – mum, dad, daughter, son – marshal their resources ‘with the best armour money can buy’ (i.e. the perfect New Year outfits) and groceries via a selection of Grab apps. The dad is in full army uniform, giving a rousing speech about how this year they’re going to host an event that will be talked about for generations to come. The soundtrack is reminiscent of an epic Marvel trailer, with taiko drums and plenty of action-style tension and blasts of choral singing.
Oreo Red Velvet
Oreo created a super-cute animated ad for their limited edition ‘red velvet’ biscuit. The cookies are used to make everything from pagodas to lanterns hung across the street and the classic Chinese dancing lions. A string of the biscuits explode as firecrackers and they even make very effective drums!
Oh dear, poor Master Wong the Feng Shui master predicted that 2020 was going to be a great year. Unfortunately, we all know how that worked out – for literally the whole world. His luck (and predictions) continue to go from bad to worse and he’s relentlessly mocked on the TV.
He thinks it’s because he lost his lucky jade ring – but what’s this? A hostage-style note slipped under his door, telling him to go to Julie’s HQ as they have his ring… Turns out the head honchos at Julie’s want Mr Wong’s advice, which he duly gives and their profits soar. However, they’ve actually done the opposite of everything he said.
The twist is, this becomes the key to him being hugely successful. He now has a tonne of clients they just… do the opposite of what he says!
Singtel – The Hunt for the Lucky Tiger
Singapore-based telecoms company Singtel has had a series of ads featuring the rival Ang and Huang families. The third in the series finds the feuding families reluctantly reunited on staycation at a 5G-powered Sentosa Island, and in direct competition as they take each other on in a treasure hunt for the lucky tiger. This includes an AR trail through the jungle, powered by 5G.
The short film is soundtracked with everything from classic comedy to action-drama, including Mission: Impossible-style music for a section including a drone. And of course there’s a happy ending, emphasising the importance of family and friendship.
Singapore Ministry of Communication and Information
Agency Grey Singapore put together this warm, light-hearted film, which, once again focuses on how Singaporeans have adapted to the uncertainties and challenges of a get together under Covid 19. No more gigantic guest lists and wondering who’ll get along with whom (and who’s more senior). By necessity, things have been slimmed-down for Chinese New Year. The central message is that celebrations don’t have to be big to be meaningful – plus there’s a quick reminder that getting your booster shots will mean you can join in without worrying.
The music goes from a party feel when the family are shown having their more usual get-togethers a few years ago, to some traditional percussion as the two youngest members try to make sense of a massive potential guest list and then a calming piano and strings section when their Grandma makes the decision to keep it small this year.
Digi – The Undivided Heart
Malaysian mobile service provider Digi Telecommunications tell the story of Amy Ling, a young woman who takes over her parents’ restaurant and has to find ways to revitalise it. She’s shown having a Zoom call with the rest of the family to discuss digitising the business, bringing in new uniforms and renaming the restaurant. However, not everyone’s on board with her brave new world and vision for The Tiger Palace.
After disagreeing with her uncle, the two come back together, recognising that ‘family is above everything’. The ad signs off with the message, ‘the strength of family is the greatest prosperity we can share’ and ‘may love reconnect us to all that matters’, to the strains of a piano-led ballad.
Knife – Always Be There
Oof, if you want a proper emotional gut-punch, then watch Knife Oil’s film. The two stories show a young man who’s been made redundant and is trying to cover up how much he’s struggling from his parents. The other focuses on a young woman who’s a cookery influencer. She misses urgent phone calls from her brother, saying their father has had a stroke.
Both return to their families and are supported and offer support between the generations, emphasising the importance of eating together.
Tiger Beer – Year of the Tiger
The No. 1 international premium beer in Asia teamed up with global football icon Son Heung-Min to encourage people to set aside their fears and achieve their boldest ambitions in the Year of the Tiger.
Son’s journey has taken him from South Korea to becoming an international football icon who is the highest-scoring Asian player in Europe’s premier club competition, and the first Asian player to win the Golden Boot.
Sean O’Donnell, Global Brand Director, Tiger Beer, explained that, ‘Tiger Beer was born from defying the odds with a bold and courageous spirit. Brewing beer in the tropics was thought to be impossible until we did it. Son is a global icon who perfectly embodies this spirit of Tiger Beer – he is courageous, confident, and unstoppable. We believe that we are all born with a Tiger inside us – a version of ourselves that knows no limits to what is possible – but few of us are able to uncage it. We are delighted to be working with Son to inspire people everywhere to use the Year of the Tiger as the catalyst to realise their true selves.’
The soundtrack to the full ad is an original composition by Adrian Sergovich.
Chinese New Year 2021 Ads
Coca-Cola – CNY Confessions
Coca Cola’s Chinese New Year ads are now something of a tradition and tap into the brand’s talent for storytelling. For 2021, they focused in on what many brands had picked up on – the fact that Covid 19 had taken away something that many people – young people in particular – had taken for granted. So, the first half of the ad is about three young characters flagging all the things they don’t like about New Year get-togethers – the long, uncomfortable journey to get there; the constant demands to go and pick up more food from the shops, and the fact that there are so many family members staying, you don’t have any space for yourself, even in your own bed.
After a year of being on their own for New Year, the three realise how much the get-togethers mean to them: the rice cakes that ‘Little Piggy’s grandmother makes for him; the karaoke and noisy relatives, and running errands as a way of showing love for your family. It’s heartwarming and focuses on ‘the little simple joys found in the normalcy that brings us together’ according to Cia Hatzi of McCann Worldgroup, who created the ad.
Panda Express – Traditions Shared
American-Asian fast food chain Panda Express is the largest Asian-segment restaurant chain in the US. Created by ad agency The Many, the Chinese New Year Panda Express video
focuses on the idea that Lunar New Year is all about coming together and sharing traditions with those we love most.
The family-owned brand’s 2021 ad tells the sweet story of a young boy, Jordan, who is invited by his neighbours, the Lees, to experience New Year with them, complete with authentic Chinese dishes and, of course, the giving and receiving of lucky red envelopes.
The reveal at the end of the film is that Jordan is now grown up and keeps the tradition of sharing good fortune by giving the Lees a box of Panda Express spring rolls, as they’re having to spend New Year on their own. His own family is then shown sitting at their table celebrating the holiday and passing down the tradition to their son with a Panda Express family meal.
The film was directed by Erica Eng, who is a fifth-generation Chinese American, and the whole crew incorporated Chinese Americans who contributed everything from items from their homes to decorate the sets to the food stylist taking inspiration from her family’s Lunar New Year meals. The soundtrack is orchestral, bringing in sparkling moments of magic with tinkling chimes as the story evolves.
H&M
H&M put the focus on individuality by showing a variety of people prepping for their Lunar New Year celebrations, all working H&M clothes in their own way. One of them is Wang Shuang, a football star in the Chinese Women’s Super League.
The track used is ‘You’ve Got the Love’ by David Yang and Veegee; its mix of slower sections are expertly used for the quieter moments of the film, followed by the driving chorus for nightlife shots and two of the characters dancing on a rooftop.
Shot on iPhone – Chinese New Year Nian
Apple has made a tradition of inviting famous directors to make a short movie each year for Chinese New Year, shot on iPhone. In 2021, a Chinese New Year legend, Monster Nian, was reimagined as a contemporary coming-of-age story.
The film was directed by Lulu Wang and created by the team behind the Golden Globe-nominated film, The Farewell. Charming, fantastical, magical and very atmospheric, the story shows a curious, brave little girl, who declares herself unafraid of the fearsome Nian and goes looking for him in the forest, finding him in a cave. The two become friends and try to join in a New Year celebration, but the Nian is frightened by the firecrackers and fireworks and runs away.
Every new year, we set off all these fireworks. Is it really to scare off the monsters? Or is it to light up the dark night sky and all the places we want to go?
The girl’s parents worry about her and want to protect her, but her mother realiaes that actually, they should learn from her courage, and be willing to explore the magical side of life. All three go into the forest, and the final scene shows the family sharing a meal around their table – complete with the Nian.
The soundtrack is used sparingly, with piano and orchestral touches to highlight the emotions.
Skittles – Frustrate the Rainbow
Skittles capitalised on their reputation for humorous ads with this 2021 Chinese New Year ad. Instead of the usual focus on spending quality time with friends and family, the brand came up with a cunning twist on the red packets that are traditionally exchanged.
Skittles created a mobile game on the WeChat app, with a digital red packet that required 50,000 consecutive taps to open it – whoever reached the target fastest would win $7,750. The ad featured two players sitting on a sofa and tapping away, whilst aging drastically and humorously discussing how much of a waste of time it all is, accompanied by the sound of manic tapping.
The Best of the Rest
Nike – The Great Chase
Nike took its first strides into the Chinese New Year ad market in 2020 with ‘The Great Chase’. The ad put a witty spin on the tradition of family giving each other ‘hongbao’ red envelopes. The envelopes are often filled with money and given to children by elder relatives for good luck.
In Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai’s spot, an aunt attempts to give an envelope to her niece, who repeatedly politely declines. The two are shown in a fun game of cat-and-mouse as the little girl grows up and eventually dons a pair of Nikes to try to outrun her determined aunt (who instead upgrades to a tech solution, sending the envelope via a banking app.)
The chase continues for years, through factories and festivals, fields and rooftops, until the niece is an adult, with a family of her own. It’s time for her to give her aunt an envelope. Psych! Auntie’s got her own pair of Nike’s, inspired by Chinese mythology. The brand said, ‘it’s a playful approach on a Chinese tradition, reminding the audience to celebrate and have fun, to stay active during a time when we typically eat a bit too much.’
The ad features a Chinese-language version of Doris Day’s ‘Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps’.
Air Asia – The Boy and the Lion
Air Asia’s ad shows the excitement of travelling to visit family for New Year through the eyes of a small boy. It’s his first tine going to his grandma’s and there’s emotional piano for the family sequences as they celebrate around the dinner table. This gives way to traditional Chinese music when the boy finally gets to meet the Lion and join in with dancing in the street.
Ribena’s ads are always fun, and this Chinese New Year spot is no exception. When Traditionalist Liondance Grandpa goes up against his TechnoParkour Grandson, sparks will definitely fly! The ad features traditional drummers and percussionists, which then segues into an EDM track.
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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Promotional videos come in all shapes and sizes, from brands to products, events to productions, interviews, reels and more. How do you make yours stand out, in an ever-increasing ocean of content? One key element is music; find the tracks that connect up your message with your audience, and half your work is done. We’re here to show you how, and share some inspirational playlists to make life easier.
What is a promotional video?
How long should a promo video be?
How can good music make a promo video better?
How to choose the best music for your project
Where can I find the best music for promotional videos?
Playlists for promotional videos
What Is a Promotional Video?
Also known as promo videos, they’re used for the purpose of promoting specific marketing initiatives, products, brands, services or events for businesses. You might also be making promotional videos for testimonials, employee training or as explainers (according to research from HubSpot, 72% of consumers would prefer to learn about a product or service by watching a video.)
Video is at the forefront of most companies’ digital marketing – videos can increase conversion rates by 80%, just by putting them on a landing page, so it’s vital to get it right. Promo videos can also be very useful tools when it comes to creating brand loyalty (think of creating a series when you’re evolving your marketing strategy) and trust in a brand. Many smaller, or entrepreneur-led companies might feature their founder and employees, which can increase buy in on social media, and with customers who prioritise authenticity.
Think of your promotional videos as the content which shows the world what you – and your business or product – is all about.
How Long Should a Promo Video Be?
This type of video content is best kept under the 2-minute mark, meaning that you may have to pack in plenty of important information, key sales points and a CTA (Call to Action). Keeping it short and punchy will encourage engagement and make your message more memorable. Focus on what the viewer really wants to know: what can your business or product do for me? How will it make my life better? What problem is it solving?
With this kind of video promo, a big plus is that it doesn’t have to take long to make – and it doesn’t need to claim a huge amount of your budget, either.
How Can Good Music Make a Promo Video Better?
Adding music can improve your video content in a variety of ways:
Pick tracks or genres that will make the viewer feel how you want them to: from excited to thoughtful, invested or intrigued to know more
Use tracks with different tempos or lyrics to break up the sections of your video
Choose music that chimes with your target audience and represents your brand/product
How to Choose the Best Music for Your Project
For inspiration, look at the way global brands tell their stories through their ads, and the way they use music to create an atmosphere, or connect with their target audience. Our deep dives on IKEA, Virgin Media and trends in music licensing for TV ads will give you valuable pointers. Or get some extra tips on music for production – from adding atmosphere to creating soundscapes.
Where Can I Find the Best Music for Promotional Videos?
That’s where Audio Network comes in. Our catalogue of over 200,000 tracks is fully licensed – meaning that you won’t have to worry about content take-downs on YouTube or any other copyright claims. Whatever platform you’re using for your content, our licensing has you covered.
So, what promotional songs are you looking for? Our tracks cover every genre from pop to hip hop, orchestral to world music. But to make it even easier, you can search through our dedicated playlists, which span everything you could possibly want, from sports to gaming, cookery to travel and lifestyle, together with the tracks that will create excitement and drama, bring the LOLs or just give your promo video a bit of added ambiance.
Playlists for Promotional Videos
Explore these playlists from our playlist hub, with hand-picked tracks from our in-house experts, to really ramp up your promo video quality this year:
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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Why is background music so powerful? Imagine a Christmas ad without any music? Or a huge blockbuster trailer without its soundtrack? Unthinkable, right? Music touches our emotions in a different way from visuals alone – whether it’s a song that you already know and love, combined with a scene that moves you, or a track used in a completely different way. It could be something you’ve never heard before, which becomes indelibly linked with a story or character. Something used in such a quirky way that it’s instantly memorable, and you’re desperate for a repeat viewing. So, how do music supervisors and creatives best use background music on both big screens and small?
If you need to know where and when you could use background music, and how to find the very best, read on. Here’s what you’ll find out:
What is background music?
What might you need background music for?
Background music in TV shows
How music can help your production
Tips on choosing background music
Types of background music
Where to get background music
Where can I find music for…
Hand-picked playlists
What Is Background Music?
Put simply, background music – sometimes known as ‘bgm’ - is either instrumental or vocal music played in the background of any audio, audiovisual or media content. It’s used to enhance the mood or create an atmosphere or emotion, without distracting the audience.
What Might You Need Background Music For?
In short – any kind of content! The best TV and radio advertisements all have either memorable music – everything from the ‘Old Spice’ music (aka classical piece ‘Carmina Burana’) to the McDonald’s or Intel’s ‘audio signatures’, which are just a few notes.
Kantar reports that 84% of the ads they test globally have music. Why is music used in TV commercials? Well, it makes it way harder to connect with your audience on an emotional level if you omit music in ads, for one.
Kantar’s research found, ‘a strong relationship between consumers who enjoy the music in an ad, and those who feel an emotional connection through our “feel-good” metric. Our Link database shows a 63-point increase in the average feel-good factor between those who enjoyed the music most and those who didn’t enjoy it. Further, when people enjoy the music in the ad, we see a 20-point increase in the average involvement score when the music is also well-known.’
And when you’ve only got 30 seconds to tell a story, the music can get you at least halfway there.
When you’re looking for background music for ads, first work out what kind of story you’re telling, and what emotions you want the viewer to feel. Is it quirky, like the IKEA ‘Wonderful Everyday’ ads? Or full of triumph, passion and drama, like the best sports ads? Are you trying to tug on the viewer’s heartstrings? If so, you’ll probably want something slower and calmer – think of the John Lewis Christmas ads, which use slow, acoustic versions of well-known hits. Also bear in mind your brand identity and your target audience.
Background Music in TV Shows
A carefully-curated soundtrack can be a key criteria for making a great TV series – hence why there’s now an Emmy for ‘Outstanding Music Composition for a Series’. If you’ve ever Shazammed a song whilst watching a show and added it to your playlist, you know how impactful music can be. One that recently made a big splash online is Kate Bush’s ‘Running up That Hill’, which was used in a pivotal scene in Stranger Things.
Under threat from villainous Vecna, Max’s friends realise that music might be the key to breaking her out of a potentially fatal trance. They blast her favourite track, ‘Running Up That Hill’, through her Walkman’s headphones.
Nora Felder, the series’ music supervisor, told Variety that, ‘In the face of Max’s painful isolation and alienation from others, a “deal with God” could heart-wrenchingly reflect Max’s implicit belief that only a miracle of unlikely understanding and show of support could help her climb the hills of life before her.’ It was a perfect choice, and the track was such a hit with fans that it went to No. 1 in the charts – a mere 37 years after its initial release.
TV programmes can be full of atmosphere and tension, romance or comedy, and music can be used to enhance the effect or guide the audience’s reaction.
Documentaries can use music to enhance key sequences, launching them into ‘modern classics’ status. For one of the best examples, look no further than Planet Earth II’s most celebrated sequence. Baby iguanas have to run the gauntlet across a sandy beach to the safety of the rocks, whilst chased by a cascade of beady-eyed, super-fast racer snakes.
The final iguana’s near-miraculous escape is soundtracked by blockbuster supremo and Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer, who expertly ramps up the tension. When it came to writing the music for it, Zimmer said, ‘Imagine you’re a Hollywood composer, and so you know a lot of Hollywood directors who are all doing their car chases and whatever. Nobody ever had as exciting a chase, as exciting footage, as that. It’s incredibly emotional stuff. All the music is trying to do is shine an additional light onto things. Make it something that gets under your skin.’
How Music Can Help to Improve Your Production
Let’s illustrate just how background music can help to improve a movie scene. We’re all used to seeing a film’s final cut – it’s been edited, the sound is balanced so you can hear the dialogue, all the SFX are in place. But how does music affect the mood of what you’re watching? Watch this classic ‘throne room’ scene from Star Wars:
It’s got gravitas, with all those epic strings, orchestrations and the fanfare trumpets creating a suitably regal feel for the sequence of Han, Luke and Chewbacca being recognised for their heroism.
Now watch it without the music:
It’s just a long walk, a lot of awkward looks, an extra coughing in the background and what sounds like six people clapping. Zero atmosphere and not much of a way to finish the movie on a high.
However, you don’t need to blow the budget by getting movie legend John Williams to compose an impressive score from scratch. Using background music from a catalogue like Audio Network’s is cheaper and quicker. You can search by genre, by mood, by production type and even by instrument and bpm to find exactly what you need.
Tips on Choosing Background Music
Background music for videos can improve your content by giving it polish, making it unique (you’re not using that same Dua Lipa track that everyone else has been trying to license) and, as we’ve shown, creating atmosphere and emotion. You can also use music as a narrative device to push a story along, whether it’s in a documentary or a drama.
Background music can also help you to stand out from the crowd in terms of video content – whether it’s a big presentation, a YouTube how-to or a reaction video.
Types of Background Music
A key element in choosing any background music, whether it’s for TV, ads, films or YouTube is: who is my audience, and what types of music are they most likely to respond to? If your production is set in a particular era, like Stranger Things (80s), then your background music will either come from that era – or sound as though it does (heavy on the synths, for a start.) When it comes to other choices, though, you could go down a genre route.
To create a mood that’s big, sweeping and epic, explore the huge array of classical and cinematic music on offer. It’s powerful, and great for underpinning and evoking a swell of emotion. For the kind of ‘Hollywood sound’ made famous by movies such as Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning and Top Gun: Maverick, check out their soundtrack composer, Lorne Balfe – he’s put together an expert collection with hundreds of spectacular tracks to choose from.
Ambient Music
If you want the music to take more of a backseat and push your message harder, then ambient is ideal: it’s a genre that adds interest, without dominating. Soothing ambient sounds are great for videos with lots of information, or for teaching videos.
Acoustic music is equally adaptable, suiting everything from lifestyle content to montages, inspirational videos or how-tos.
Search through our catalogue for everything from pop to indie, heavy metal to jazz, to create whichever mood you need.
Where to Get Background Music
Licensing either specially-commissioned music, or pre-existing tracks, can be very expensive, and getting permission to use it can also be notoriously difficult and time-consuming. A production music library owns all the copyright of its music. Thus, it can be licensed without getting the composer’s permission separately.
As a dedicated production music company, Audio Network’s is one of the best. Audio Network commissions original, high-quality music from 1,000+ artists and composers from every corner of the world, in every possible genre. Often recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, all our music is written and performed by the world’s best musicians and recorded with renowned producers.
Where Can I Find Music For…
If you’re looking for background music for a specific type of content, then we have you covered! First, head to our main discover hub. Or check out these production areas:
At Audio Network, we want to make sure that finding music is quick, easy and fun – and that you have plenty of choice. So, our expert in-house team selects the best of our original music and assembles the tracks into playlists that you can browse, meaning that most of the work has already been done for you.
Here are some of our most useful and versatile playlists:
Drama – music for drama can span literally any genre and mood. You might want an orchestral ballad, or an intense track to soundtrack a chase sequence. On the hunt for exciting background music? Our selections are incredibly versatile.
Dramedy such as Succession needs a balance of music that combines both dramatic elements and comedy, depending on which accent you’re focusing on in a particular scene.
True Crime – background music can be crucial for true crime podcasts or shows, adding atmosphere, suspense and emotion, including beds and soundscapes.
When it comes to music for sport, we have a huge array. You’ll have everything to conjure sport’s emotion at your fingertips, from music showcasing determination and anticipation, to the joy of victory and the heartbreak of a narrow defeat.
Reality – aka factual entertainment – is now one of TV’s most popular genres. Dating shows, celebrity, cookery and travel, 24 Hours in A&E: literally all human life is here. So we have all the reality show music you need – from uplifting and easy-going to tension-building for shows like Bake Off and Masterchef, which have a competitive element, or the huge variety you need for a show like Love Island.
Current Affairs – from hard news to investigations and the weather forecast, our news and current affairs playlist has stings, themes and beds with pulses, tension builds, dynamic, exciting orchestra tracks and bright, positive marimba for lighter news stories.
Documentaries – bring diverse stories to life with this expansive playlist, including dedicated picks for historical, international and travel-based documentaries, plus tracks to add atmosphere.
Trailer – these mini masterpieces are fantastic for film, TV, video and advertising. Inspiration, excitement, anticipation – these tracks have it all.
Drones – drone footage can be truly magical, as you float high above a scene. From cinematic to minimalist and even menacing, this drones playlist has the perfect mix of moods.
Beds – music beds are there mainly to add atmosphere or a particular mood. Our beds, ideal if you’re looking for background music for videos, are split into ‘light beds’ and brooding, unnerving beds to add tension.
Transitions – need the perfect accompaniment to a scene change? Take your pick from this expansive playlist.
Looking for More Inspiration?
So, now you know about background music and where to find it! If you want an expert view on creating standout soundtracks, then read our interview with Hollywood composer Lorne Balfe; or explore award-winning ads and see how their soundtracks and background music help to tell their story.
We have new releases every fortnight, so there’s always more background music to choose from!
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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